Why are the commercials so loud?

T

TruThugly

New member
Something tells me I am not the only one that is sick of the volume jumping up when the commercials start. The TV has a USB port.

Why has someone not made an outboard USB compressor/limiter for televisions?
 
Commercials on TV are loud so that they get your attention. They can compress things and crank up the apparent level vs a normal show, where sound goes with the flow of the story. In the US, there are laws governing how "loud" a commercial can be relative to regular programming, but I don't think it's rigidly enforced.

Some TVs have a Volume Leveling option. Check your TV and see if it has that ability.
 
More specifically, commercials are loud because they know you're going to get up and go to the kitchen or bathroom. They want to make sure you hear them wherever you are.
 
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It is not just commercials. When the station puts on a narrater telling you about some upcoming program, they don't bother to check their sound level.
What annoys me most is that all the TV adverts are politically correct.
Now, I use a different term, but all the adverts are awash with 'multicultural ethnic minorities'.
Advert breaks go like this:
First advert - The main character is a 'multicultural ethnic minority'.
Next Advert - The main character is a 'multicultural ethnic minority'.
Next Advert - White person married to a 'multicultural ethnic minority', with 'multicultural ethnic minority' children.
When there is a big family gathering, like christmas, some family members will be white, and some will be 'multicultural ethnic minorities'.
This is all un-realistic, and leads the viewer to believe that there are hardly any white people living in England.
 
Why are commercials too loud????

Simple. Just to piss us off.

Like it or not, soliciting an emotional response will make you remember whatever it is they’re selling.

:D
 
They are not supposed to be. There are rules about levels (for the main national stations anyway) but there are ways and means! All the 'mastering to a gnat's bllx to 0dBFS tricks' used on records are employed to make ads subjectively louder but not in fact measurably so.

Yes, most TV sound systems have some form of volume limiting/compression but that might not help the OP? I take a feed from an optical digital output of my TCL to a 20quid DAC and thence to a mixer and on to Tannoy 5A monitors. I am pretty sure any sound modification is POST the digital feed and so post USB?

Dave.
 
Your TV if is newer has a Volume Leveling Feature to take care of this problem - I have a Sony
TV and this is the method:
  1. Click Display & Sound.
  2. Select Sound.
  3. Navigate to Advanced Auto Volume.
  4. Select Auto.
Also File a complaint to the FCC - they don’t actively regulate TV volumes - Complaints are usualy their insight to problems.
They have a dedicated Page for Complaints. You may visit it to report loud commercials - it should only take you a few minutes to do so.
 
Do what I did years ago. Stop watching. Work on music, and read. Another thing I noticed when I did watch is often I couldn't tell when the ad started, and the show stopped. I'd be, "what the hell? Is this some kind of plot device?" Then the point of the ad would reveal itself (finally), and I realized I'd been tricked. I'm sure this sameness is no accident.
 
ecc83 said:
They are not supposed to be. There are rules about levels (for the main national stations anyway) but there are ways and means! All the 'mastering to a gnat's bllx to 0dBFS tricks' used on records are employed to make ads subjectively louder but not in fact measurably so.

Yes, most TV sound systems have some form of volume limiting/compression but that might not help the OP? I take a feed from an optical digital output of my TCL to a 20quid DAC and thence to a mixer and on to Tannoy 5A monitors. I am pretty sure any sound modification is POST the digital feed and so post USB?

Dave.
Click to expand...

Brilliant! So it can be done!

I am admittedly unclear on your last statement... I just had a compressor with the usual knobs that plugged in through the tv in my mind. Apparently it would need speaker outputs as well.
 
There is a clear divide here whether we are talking about UK TV and the USA (or the ROTW) ! Things here for the 'regular' stations are not nearly as bad as they were say ten years ago. For my part I almost always record the show I want to watch (crime thriller **** and such) and so can just zap* through the ads. Very conveniently they often have the same ad at the end of the break, often a car ad and so I can hit the tit just at the right time to get back to "Professor T".

More on the signal path inside the TV and compressors and such? AFAICT the signal is extracted from the digital carrier and passed out as a "S/PDIF like" signal. In my case from an optical port, some TVs might have RCA. The OP seems to have a USB digital output? The problem here then is that any sound modification, EQ or dynamics will be don AFTER the digital converter? Maybe use the headphone feed?

*More than ten years ago I had an Hitachi VHS recorder with an 'ads cheat' function. The machine sensed the start of an ad and went into very fast search mode then started the programme again bob on the button! Have we had progress?

Dave.
 
ah yes the international issue. In the US most TV's do come with some sort of "leveler'' which is complete and utter trash. No ratio being the main problem, just a couple of practically do nothing presets. They aren't as bad as they were say 10 years ago, I agree. Still enough to wake people back up though.

Yea the TV definitely has a usb output.... As does the 'cable box' it runs through (can't imagine why if not for such creativity?) More importantly and to the point of the thread I do not believe audio comes through the USB out So that pretty much ends my journey for now I suppose.....i will try running a spare presonus interface on the usb out, obviously from there I could hook up a compressor and speakers. If that works I will let ya know.

If not perhaps it is time i build a TV with a USB out? Or look into what it would entail....If I remember this is when our good friends at the FCC (that DONT ACTIVELY MONITOR VOLUME and apparently would like me to be little guy squished between the rock and hard place located between FCC and CABLE conglomorate) decide to chime in....

Thank you for the info on the signal.... You are correct, (PRETTY SURE; YA LOST ME A WEE BIT) and i do believe my audio comes from an optic port. Or if you have an old TV RCA is usually an option.... I am going to guess my interface doesn't umm interface with the tv, but if it does huzzah.

I was definitely hoping to compress the signal POST leaving the TV as you seem to have figured out with your optical to Tannoys system. And perhaps that is indeed the route of least resistance...Thank you for the meaningful input. If I misunderstood anything please correct me!
 
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https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amazon-Bas...98232031&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

That ^ or something very similar is what I use back of the TV to convert the digital output to audio. The boxes are very conveniently powered from any USB 5V supply. The RCA outs then feed a Behringer Xenyx 1202 mixer and then via balanced lines to my Tannoys. All this is setup in my living room. Included in the "system" is a MOTU M4 interface.

I may have misled you about "compression"? I don't use any, AFAICT the TV's digital output is pre any such control. I could route the signal through the M4 and a DAW on my laptop and use a plugin I suppose but I find no need. I have a fader at my left hand!

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
There is a clear divide here whether we are talking about UK TV and the USA (or the ROTW) ! Things here for the 'regular' stations are not nearly as bad as they were say ten years ago. For my part I almost always record the show I want to watch (crime thriller **** and such) and so can just zap* through the ads. Very conveniently they often have the same ad at the end of the break, often a car ad and so I can hit the tit just at the right time to get back to "Professor T".

More on the signal path inside the TV and compressors and such? AFAICT the signal is extracted from the digital carrier and passed out as a "S/PDIF like" signal. In my case from an optical port, some TVs might have RCA. The OP seems to have a USB digital output? The problem here then is that any sound modification, EQ or dynamics will be don AFTER the digital converter? Maybe use the headphone feed?

*More than ten years ago I had an Hitachi VHS recorder with an 'ads cheat' function. The machine sensed the start of an ad and went into very fast search mode then started the programme again bob on the button! Have we had progress?

Dave.
Click to expand...
ACT 3.0 in the US is trying to limit recording. Not sure how they are going to do it, but it could be they allow a digital recording and defeat the "fast forward" button on the unit. And for those who say, "they can't do it", once it is digital, they can do a lot of stuff through post hardware processing.
 
Do you mean they want to stop people at home recording DM60? Various factions have been doing that since the dawn of the tape recorder!
I have a wee box that converts HDMI to video and sound and I can record that on one of my hard drive/DVD Freeview recorders but I rarely bother these days.
The other day I got an email ad from a retailer about a 50" smart TV that had a USB port which (seemed) to allow you to dump proggs onto any external hard drive. TV was about 300 quid and since I am not happy with my 6 months old TCL I am sorely tempted!

Dave.
 
well screw act 3.0 than...

ecc83-- I figured a fader would pretty well cover the problem, for all practical purposes. To put a finer point on what I am trying to stop; I live with a 71 year old who enjoys falling asleep in front of the TV; which I don't exactly condone but who am I to 'condone' anothers behavior. Said person seems to fall asleep and is awakened and perturbed that it is commercials or perhaps slightly more likely has went to an infomercial. (They really jack the sound on that, or whatever trick they use).. But I was thinking the same thing; if it can be ran into a mixer than surely a compressor can be added somehow. (the way you explained should work!!)

Thank you guys, I have asked this question at many audio forums in many ways and this is the first one to fully engage and address the issue.. Kudos.

*Edit Ecc83 - do you know the brand name and model on that TV? I would look into it as a new TV is on my items to get in near future list anyways. I would be really thrilled to hear and do not see why "smart tv's'' would be unable to do such a thing. Unless it flat wasn't allowed or it goes against their own interest.
 
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ecc83 said:
There is a clear divide here whether we are talking about UK TV and the USA (or the ROTW) ! Things here for the 'regular' stations are not nearly as bad as they were say ten years ago. For my part I almost always record the show I want to watch (crime thriller **** and such) and so can just zap* through the ads. Very conveniently they often have the same ad at the end of the break, often a car ad and so I can hit the tit just at the right time to get back to "Professor T".

...
Dave.
Click to expand...
I hardly ever watch "live" tv. I DVR anything I want to watch. When a favorite show or game comes on, I'll wait 20 or 30 minutes and at each time out/commercial break, I zip right though. It also makes it easy to take that break when nature calls, or more often, when I start watching, only to doze off and wake up with the menu of the DVR staring at me. (sorry TruThugly, that's something we old folks do... 😜} The best part is that you can watch a 1 hour program in about 45 minutes.

And yeah, I remember the VHS recorders with the commercial skip option. My dad's VHS did that. My Magnavox didn't do it, but I just hit the FF button.
 
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TruThugly said:
well screw act 3.0 than...

ecc83-- I figured a fader would pretty well cover the problem, for all practical purposes. To put a finer point on what I am trying to stop; I live with a 71 year old who enjoys falling asleep in front of the TV; which I don't exactly condone but who am I to 'condone' anothers behavior. Said person seems to fall asleep and is awakened and perturbed that it is commercials or perhaps slightly more likely has went to an infomercial. (They really jack the sound on that, or whatever trick they use).. But I was thinking the same thing; if it can be ran into a mixer than surely a compressor can be added somehow. (the way you explained should work!!)

Thank you guys, I have asked this question at many audio forums in many ways and this is the first one to fully engage and address the issue.. Kudos.

*Edit Ecc83 - do you know the brand name and model on that TV? I would look into it as a new TV is on my items to get in near future list anyways. I would be really thrilled to hear and do not see why "smart tv's'' would be unable to do such a thing. Unless it flat wasn't allowed or it goes against their own interest.
Click to expand...
I can try to find it for you but are you in the UK?

Dave.
 
ecc83 said:
Do you mean they want to stop people at home recording DM60? Various factions have been doing that since the dawn of the tape recorder!
I have a wee box that converts HDMI to video and sound and I can record that on one of my hard drive/DVD Freeview recorders but I rarely bother these days.
The other day I got an email ad from a retailer about a 50" smart TV that had a USB port which (seemed) to allow you to dump proggs onto any external hard drive. TV was about 300 quid and since I am not happy with my 6 months old TCL I am sorely tempted!

Dave.
Click to expand...
The ACT 3.0 standard is still being fully developed, but I know they are trying to control recordings, the whole DRM thing. Plus, and get this, they are figuring out a way to track what you are watching.

I watch live TV, mainly the old shows from the 50's and 60's. I had rarely watched TV over the last 60 years, so a lot of new content. I am trying to find a "non-smart" TV. Damn things are hard to find. Best I can find bigger than a computer monitor is commercial displays. and they are not cheap.
 
No, I am in the US. I will have to talk to the good people at walmart (because we know they got the product specs memorized and wouldn't say "uhh probably" or something to that effect.

However I suspect if it is doable in the UK it will be doable stateside to?

*edit* I hear you on the smart thing, lol I like my objects dumb. Had to stay at a hotel to get my landline connected; people like don't believe that I don't carry a cellphone

So assuming this works it would be tv > external hardrive > interface > compressor> speakers. Im starting to see why this is not a very common practice.
 
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